Particulate laundry softening wash additive

Abstract

A composition including a plurality of particles, the plurality of particles including: about 25% to about 94% by weight a water soluble carrier; about 5% to about 45% by weight a quaternary ammonium compound; and about 0.5% to about 10% by weight a cationic polymer; wherein the plurality of particles comprises individual particles that comprise at least one of the quaternary ammonium compound and the cationic polymer; wherein the individual particles differ from one another in weight fraction of at least one of the quaternary ammonium compound and the cationic polymer; and wherein the individual particles each have a mass from about 1 mg to about 1 g.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A process for treating an article of clothing comprising the steps of:
 providing an article of clothing in a washing machine; and   contacting said article of clothing during a wash sub-cycle of said washing machine with a composition comprising a plurality of particles, said plurality of particles comprising:   about 25% to about 94% by weight a water soluble carrier;   about 5% to about 45% by weight a quaternary ammonium compound, wherein said quaternary ammonium compound formed from a parent fatty acid compound having an Iodine Value from about 18 to about 60; and   about 0.5% to about 10% by weight a cationic polymer;   wherein said plurality of particles comprises individual particles, each of the individual particles independently comprising at least one of said quaternary ammonium compound and said cationic polymer with the proviso that the plurality of particles comprise both said quaternary ammonium compound and said cationic polymer.   
     
     
         2 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein said cationic polymer is a cationic polysaccharide. 
     
     
         3 . The process according to  claim 2 , wherein said water soluble carrier is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycol, sodium acetate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium chloride, sodium silicate, polypropylene glycol polyoxoalkylene, polyethylene glycol fatty acid ester, polyethylene glycol ether, sodium sulfate, starch, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The process according to  claim 2 , wherein said water soluble carrier is a water soluble polymer. 
     
     
         5 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said individual particles have an onset of melt from about 25° C. to about 120° C. 
     
     
         6 . The process according to  claim 5 , wherein said individual particles are homogeneously structure particles. 
     
     
         7 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of particles further comprises perfume. 
     
     
         8 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein said individual particles have a Dispersion Time less than about 30 minutes. 
     
     
         9 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein said individual particles have a ratio of maximum dimension to minimum dimension from about 10 to 1. 
     
     
         10 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein a melt of said individual particles has a viscosity from about 1 Pa-s to about 10 Pa-s at 65° C. 
     
     
         11 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein said water soluble carrier is a water soluble polymer. 
     
     
         12 . The process according to  claim 11 , wherein each of said individual particles have an onset of melt from about 25° C. to about 120° C. 
     
     
         13 . The process according to  claim 12 , wherein said individual particles are homogeneously structure particles. 
     
     
         14 . The process according to  claim 13 , wherein said plurality of particles further comprises perfume. 
     
     
         15 . The process according to  claim 14 , wherein said individual particles have a Dispersion Time less than about 30 minutes. 
     
     
         16 . The process according to  claim 15 , wherein a melt of said individual particles has a viscosity from about 1 Pa-s to about 10 Pa-s at 65° C. 
     
     
         17 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein said individual particles are homogeneously structure particles. 
     
     
         18 . The process according to  claim 17 , wherein said water soluble carrier is a water soluble polymer. 
     
     
         19 . The process according to  claim 18 , wherein said individual particles have a ratio of maximum dimension to minimum dimension from about 10 to 1. 
     
     
         20 . The process according to  claim 19 , wherein said plurality of particles further comprises perfume.